The festivities have begun! Who better to arm you with magnificent recipes to entertain your guests, and their taste buds, this season than our very own Mrs Patmore? Take a leaf out of her cookery book with a delectable recipe from the Downton Abbey Kitchen: [ Bit.ly Link ] What a treat!

The countdown to Christmas has begun, the fireplaces have been lit and snow has covered Downton in a beautiful sheet of white glitter. Oh, how Team Servants love this time of the year! Tell us, what do you love most about this wonderful season?

Love downtown abbey, best show ever. I love the build up to Christmas, the lights in the town, making the Christmas cake, decorating the tree and watching Christmas movies.
I started watching downtown abbey last Christmas, and watched every episode in two weeks.
Love seeing children's faces light up near Christmas.

They had the little special on last night that said I miss Downton Abbey with Allen Leech hosting. I am always amazed at learning something new about the series. I think it is so incredible that those costumes were all made for the series. What talented people worked on it from the actors to the crew and all the consultants, that worked with Mr. Fellowes. I think they are wonderful to say the least! Thank you all, it was wonderful to watch and watch and watch........!

In the castle where I work as a cook (yes: like Beryl!) we often prepare salmon in a champagne sauce, or calf with a sauce made of gorgonzola, mascarpone cheese and hazelnuts... two vegetables with this: spinach and mashed potatoes.

I thought the process to determine the menu was the lady of the house worked with the cook to create the menu, based on what produce is ripe, what meats were available, the weather (colder weather would suggest heavier foods), how much they want to impress the guests and of course, the preferences and requirements of the guests. There were also 'food fads' in the kinds of dishes and in the silverware to be displayed.

I guess I'm an odd one out. Of all the periods in history, I think the clothes of that period are the ugliest there ever were. Shapeless bags, gaudy trim, too bare for unheated castles - and the servants wore really God-awful numbers. Yikes!

I didn't love the cruelty that Mary gave everyone, except Anna. Only with her was she a compassionate human being. I didn't love how Robert and Cora never called Mary on it, or slapped her across her smirking face. That said, Edith was just as cruel to her. I thought they deserved each other. I never could stand either one of them. I don't know how people can think cruelty is funny, but to each their own I guess. I miss Sybil, and wish they had written her much better. She could have set the world on fire.

I just watched The Secret Garden again and finally realized that Dame Maggie Smith was the lead maid in the house. Although she wasn't a Dame at that time. What a wonderful actress! Loved her in so many movies. Just didn't realize she was in The Secret Garden.

I have the same reaction to Daisy that I did Peggy in Mad Men - Intensely disliked both characters (and I was annoyed with how MM made Peggy the central character of the show, even if for very sound writing reasons), but I greatly appreciated the subtle build-up of their character arcs that led to drastic changes from the initial character to character by finale - something that even most professional writers have a difficult time pulling off deftly.

Daisy was pushed into a relationship she didn't want to have, however Mrs. Patmore's reaction is understandable because she is a mature woman and therefore she has a different point of view about life and suffering.

Question: Did he get more buff at the end? Oh, he always looked great, but, it seemed to me his physique got more muscular as the series continued. Watch one of the earlier episodes and then one from the last season to compare. I think so. 😊💛😊

They should start all over again, start with season 1 and run for another 6 years. We current fans would watch all over again and they could pick up a whole new crop of fans along the way. It's a win win!

My husband and I decided that we needed to "cleanse" our brains from the never ending nastiness on US television right now & start watching DA from the very beginning again. We love this show and enjoyed our time together on Sundays watching such a brilliant production.